SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " find " 5,856 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Health Your Self: Losing it
A few months ago, I couldn’t find my cell phone. I called again and again from our landline. I never heard it ring. Hours later, I found where I’d left it: in the refrigerator. My husband and daughter thought this was hysterical. I found it scary. Was I having early cognitive decline?
Community brain health programs successfully improve attention in older adults
As aging populations drive rising global healthcare demands, finding scalable ways to prevent cognitive decline has become a vital public health priority.
UC scientists find a clue in the hunt for dark matter
An “incredibly exciting” finding could turn out to be the first-ever direct observation of the mysterious substance that makes up about 85% of the matter in the universe.
'Toxic, intimidating and humiliating': Ex-labor secretary oversaw hostile work environment, watchdog finds
A new report from Labor Department’s Office of Inspector General includes allegations that former Secretary Chavez-DeRemer “engaged in an inappropriate relationship” with a member of her security detail, and violated travel regulations and the department’s alcohol policies.
Former labor secretary drank at the office and misused resources, probe finds
Former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer violated department policy by drinking alcohol at the office and telling her staff to perform personal tasks for her, an independent Labor Department investigation found.
Bath show highlights sibling finds – and England’s first paid female astronomer
Exhibition features artworks in townhouse where William and Caroline Herschel worked and lived in late-18th century
Health warnings could reduce young people's social media use, study finds
Pop-up messages that warn of the harms of social media—such as mental health consequences—have the potential to reduce young people's social media use, a new Stanford Medicine study has found. The online ...
Live & Local: Where to find upcoming local music, open mics and live entertainment
Rafters
Jonathon Brooks Named Panthers' Biggest X-Factor for 2026 Season
Jonathon Brooks was named the Carolina Panthers' biggest X-factor for the 2026 season. Find out why.
How Explicit Are the Sex Scenes in Exodus? It Sounds Like Mass Effect Fans Will Find Them Familiar
How explicit are the sex scenes in Mass Effect-style game, Exodus? We asked the developers.
‘Distressing’: East Texas Residents Struggle to Find Mental Health Services
Survey finds costs, access and timely treatment are putting people at risk.
Sony's PlayStation disc plant is losing 10 percent of its volume in 2028, not 90
Sony’s PlayStation disc plant is losing 10 percent of its volume in 2028, not 90 Sony won’t license disc pressing to anyone else, Microsoft does, and a former PlayStation boss thinks that’s the whole problem. When Sony DADC chief Dietmar Tanzer spoke with an Austrian broadcaster in July about PlayStation disc production at the Thalgau plant, a number of press outlets misunderstood the report, writing that production would fall to a tenth of current levels. It won’t. Sony DADC confirmed to Game this week that the figure is a 10 percent decline, not a decline to 10 percent. “To clarify and avoid any misleading information: in that statement Dietmar anticipated an overall product volume decline by 10 percent, not a decline down to 10 percent,” a spokesperson with Sony DADC told Game. That figure covers 2028. Tanzer didn’t put a number on the years after, and the spokesperson declined to comment further. What we do know is that on July 1, PlayStation announced that physical game disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will be discontinued starting January 2028 and that the transition has no impact on games that have already released in disc format or will be releasing in disc format prior to that month. “So, there will be reorders going to the market after January 2028,” the Sony DADC spokesperson said. “For details around that I would ask you to liaise with the PR team from PlayStation, as we can’t speak or comment on their behalf.” PlayStation officials did not respond to questions about reorders or other disc-related matters. But I did recently speak with Shawn Layden, Game Industry Strategic Advisor and former chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios, who called a future without physical PlayStation discs “depressing, but solvable.” then added, “I think.” The chief hurdle to third-party manufacturing of collector’s editions or any other version of a PlayStation game disc is that Sony owns the proprietary process to press those discs, Layden said. “And unless they decide or determine a way to license that to some of these bespoke disc manufacturers, there’s no way to make it happen,” he said. Layden was careful to add that he understands the concept but doesn’t have “line of sight on the particulars.” “Depressing but solvable, I think.” — Shawn Layden Microsoft already licenses replication to outside plants. Xbox discs are pressed by manufacturers Microsoft certifies as Authorized Replicators, a term defined in its publisher agreements, with the approved list set at the company’s sole discretion and Microsoft retaining the right to halt manufacture. The structure is still in place today: publishers select an Authorized Replicator in Partner Center and submit a bill of materials created with a Microsoft representative. Sony, by contrast, presses PlayStation discs through Sony DADC, its own manufacturing subsidiary. No one I spoke with said they were in discussions with Sony about doing that, and PlayStation hasn’t responded to questions about whether it would be open to a licensing deal. There is an obvious reason Sony might not want to. Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad pointed it out on the day of the announcement: it’s a platform-led decision, he wrote, designed to cut costs, eliminate the resale market, and drive all revenue through the PlayStation Store. The math is not subtle. On a $70 third-party game sold through the PlayStation Store, Sony keeps $21. Sold at retail, Ahmad says, it earns about half that. Licensing disc replication to an outside manufacturer might not be worth it. And even if it were, it seems unlikely that such a deal would come from boutique companies like iam8bit, which sells collector’s editions of video games. “We would absolutely love to find a way forward to continue making physical PlayStation games,” said Jon Gibson, co-owner and co-creative director of the company. “We are big believers in giving humans the option to truly own media. If we can play a role in helping make that a reality for the future of PlayStation games, count iam8bit in!” If it were to happen, it would most likely be with a company like Conectiv Supply Chain Solutions, a Memphis-based manufacturer of optical discs and vinyl records that also runs third-party logistics, fulfillment and distribution for packaged media. The company, which was formed in 2025 when Los Angeles private equity firm Variant Equity Advisors purchased Vantiva’s Supply Chain Solutions division, traces its lineage back to Technicolor. When it sold the division, Vantiva described the business as having served video game creators for more than 25 years. Conectiv is also buying, not shrinking. Last month it acquired SDS, the distributor for Universal and Warner Bros. home entertainment, consolidating those studios’ packaged-media pipeline from pressing plant to retail shelf. I reached out to Conectiv and its CEO, but haven’t heard back. Layden pointed to music and books in our discussion about the ongoing value of physical media. “No one ever saw the comeback of cassette tape,” he said. “And vinyl didn’t so much come back. The flame went down, the fire’s dying, but the ember was always there, and it just kind of came back. Much like the book business. We thought we’d all be on Kindles right now. “I believe that physical media is crucial and important. One of the things that makes us gamers, one of the core game mechanics, going back to the beginning of time, is collecting stuff. “Did you get all the diamonds in Crash Bandicoot? Did you get all the stars in Mario? And we like to collect our games. And we have a game shelf. And we put all our boxes up there. And if you’re super hardcore, when you buy a game, you buy two copies, right? One stays in the shrink wrap, and you play the other one. What happens to that important cultural part of the gaming world? You know, we buy the steelbook and the three-disc Final Fantasy set and the figurine and, you know, you can’t download any of that. “What happens to that?” And Layden believes it shouldn’t have been a revenue question for PlayStation. “This was a core thing to the experience of our most devoted fans,” he said. “Yeah, it’s fan service. Why would we take that away? Well, we can’t afford to. It’s already 120 bucks, you know, limited edition special purchase onyx box version of whatever, and those sell at a higher rate than the box selling at $69.99 does. So yeah, the market has said they will continue to buy them. You’re just saying you just don’t want to make them anymore.” Layden said he was recently talking with someone about these sorts of business decisions and how they’re made. Too often, he said, it’s all about the financials and nothing else. “OK, we can do this and save this much money, or we can invest this to look at that outcome, or we can do this and have this happen over there, or move this team to Sri Lanka,” he said. “But each one of those, someone also has to have a ledger there saying, ‘OK, what is the brand impact from that move?’ “Iif you can’t resell it, do you really own it?” — Shawn Layden “If we do that, dollars and cents work out. I get it. That’s just math. But what’s the brand impact? Are people going to say, ‘Good move, you guys?’ Or are they going to say, ‘We hate you guys. Quit doing that.’ And sometimes they say, ‘We hate you.’ Then you take a note and say, OK, how much of that can we live with? How much ‘we hate you’ is OK. And when does it go over the line? “I see a lot of companies making decisions which, objectively speaking, I don’t know what the dollar end of that was for you, Mr. Company, but your brand value just dropped 30 percent. So I hope it was worth it.” Of course, shifting to a digital-only model for games raises other issues beyond simply wanting to collect. The biggest is ownership. Layden pointed out that once you go to a streaming-only or download-only model, it’s just a digital footprint on a hard drive. “What does ownership mean anymore?” he said. “It’s a genuine question. Well, in fact, it’s not even a question anymore. It’s like you are shifting the model from ownership to accessibility. “And what’s always been true, which people forget, is you’ve never been able to sell your iTunes library. And you can’t sell your PlayStation download library. So if you can’t resell it, do you really own it?” The touching tribute found in the credits for Star Wars Zero Company. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Interview and Hands-On with a Minoan Masterpiece Star Wars Zero Company hands-on: Attack Astromechs, permadeath, and delightfully fatal Rube Goldberg tactics Control Resonant opens up as you get stronger — and as characters start trusting you
German companies want tougher EU-China policy despite supply chain reliance
The DIHK finds German firms facing Chinese competition back stronger EU action, but its trade chief warns against ‘blanket measures’.
Iowa State’s new president talks about university’s role in state
During his first months as president of Iowa State University, David Cook has traveled to nearly 40 Iowa communities, listening as residents, community leaders, business owners and others talked about their hopes for the future and challenges they face. One concern has surfaced again and again: finding and keeping workers. “Workforce and talent are a…
Fulton Living History Tour: Where is Mrs. Pratt?
FULTON — The time machine has altered the fabric of time — and we must find Mrs. Pratt!Get ready for a hilarious and unforgettable journey through Fulton’s history at the Fulton Living History Tour! × This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. kAmxE H:== E2][ 2?5 $6AE] a` 2E `_ 2]>]k^Am#placement_726068_0_i{width:100%;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid726068 = window.pid726068 || rnd;var plc726068 = window.plc726068 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=726068;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid726068+';place='+(plc726068++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');kAm%9:D J62C[ 9:DE@CJ E22E:4 — 2?5 F?6IA64E65 — EFC?P %96 uF=E@? x46 pC6?2 H:== 36 EC2?D7@C>65 :?E@ 2 E:>6 >249:?6[ EC2?DA@CE:?8 2F5:6?46D E9C@F89 E96 72D4:?2E:?8 DE@CJ @7 E96 uF=E@? 4@>>F?:EJ]k^AmkAm(C:E6C^5:C64E@C }:49@=2D v6?E:=6 D2:5[ “%96C6 2C6 46CE2:? A6C:=D :?G@=G65 H96? E2>A6C:?8 H:E9 E96 723C:4 @7 E96 7@FCE9 5:>6?D:@?[ DF49 2D =@D:?8 @FC AC64:@FD 2?5 :?4C65:3=6 |CD] !C2EE]”k^AmkAmr@>3:?:?8 E962E6C[ 52?46[ 4@>65J[ 2?5 >FD:4[ E96 {:G:?8 w:DE@CJ %@FC H:== 6?E6CE2:? 2F5:6?46D H9:=6 3C:?8:?8 E96 4:EJ’D 72D4:?2E:?8 96C:E286 E@ =:76]k^AmkAm“r@>6 96=A FD 7:?5 |CD] !C2EE[ 2?5 2=@?8 E96 H2J[ J@F’== 5:D4@G6C 72D4:?2E:?8 DE@C:6D 7C@> uF=E@?’D A2DE :? 2 7F?[ :?E6C24E:G6 6IA6C:6?46 7@C 2== 286D[” 2? 6G6?E DA@6E@H?’D 9:DE@CJ] uF=E@? yF?:@C w:89 DEF56?ED 92G6 366? :?G:E65 E@ 2EE6?5 |@?52J’D E@FC[ 2?5 E96 AF3=:4 :D H6=4@>6[ E@@Pk^AmkAm%96 uF=E@? {:G:?8 w:DE@CJ %@FC :D DA@?D@C65 3J uF=E@? q=@4< qF:=56CD 2?5 E96 #:492C5 $] $9:?6>2? u@F?52E:@?]k^Am googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-2978731'); });
Notes From Political No-Man's Land
Here I find myself, in political no-man's land, crouched behind a garbage can, keeping my head down while verbal bullets fly overhead - "fascist" from one side, "toxic empathy" from the other. Socrate...
Women's Champions League draw: WSL teams discover opponents
The draw for the league phase of the 2026/27 Champions League has been made with Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City learning their fixtures.As usual, the draw was held in Nyon with each team findi...
We Simulated the 2026-27 Season 100 Times on NBA 2K27. Here Are the Results.
What happens if you simulate the upcoming NBA season on ‘NBA 2K’ 100 times? We decided to find out for ourselves and record all the results.
Purpose-built stadiums could unlock $1bn in revenue for women’s sports, new report finds
Finding a 'home' for women's teams can help take them to a new level on and off the field. Investment is needed, says a private fund
Minnesota is losing hospital obstetrics units faster than most states, new data finds
Minnesota is one of only eight states that lost more than 20 percent of hospital-based labor and delivery units since 2010. It’s part of a nationwide trend of hospitals closing birthing centers across the U.S, especially in rural areas, where obstetrics services tend to be too expensive to staff for the relatively few babies delivered each year.
SWFL nonprofit donor consulting firm surpasses $120M in revenue
VeraData, founded by Michael Peterman, has tapped into machine learning and AI to innovate — and influence — the way nonprofits find and connect with donors.
Why Juventus rejected late offers for Teun Koopmeiners
Teun Koopmeiners was one of the players Juventus wanted to sell this summer, with the Bianconeri doing their best to find a new home for the Dutchman.Juve considered him one of the players earning too...
Milan Reportedly Made Late Attempt for Atalanta Star
Milan didn’t sign a new defender but was active in trying to find one on deadline day, even though their attempts were in vain. In particular, they tested the waters for Giorgio Scalvini. However, A...
Milan Find a Solution for Almost All Their Outcasts
Milan parted ways with most of their castoffs on deadline day, but not Fikayo Tomori, who will be reinserted into their squad, also because Mattia Gabbia suffered an ankle injury.According to Fabrizio...
Health benefit costs to jump 8.2% in 2027, highest since 2003
Marsh survey finds GLP-1 drugs, AI billing, and No Surprises Act disputes are each adding a full percentage point to trend
English: College football politics are ravaging the game — for Texas, the show still goes on
It’s a hellish era for college football teams. It has become typical for us to go through the same cycle of previously unbelievable news over the offseason. The transfer portal has always resulted in some messiness, as well as highly dubious tampering claims, and finding replacements for head coaches always brings on a little bit...
Colorado Stuns Georgia Tech in Final Minutes, 14-13
Colorado pulled off one of the biggest comebacks of the opening week Thursday night, stunning Georgia Tech 14-13 at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. The Buffaloes trailed by six points late in the fourth quarter before finding the end zone in the final minutes to steal the victory. Colorado’s win avenged last season’s 27-20 loss…
Clippers Vow to Fight NBA’s $30 Million Fine and Historic Draft Pick Penalties
The Los Angeles Clippers‘ offseason was already complicated after their 2025-26 season ended in a play-in loss to the Golden State Warriors, keeping the franchise out of the postseason for the first time since 2022. Months later, Kawhi Leonard and the organization find themselves at the center of a storm that has nothing to do [...]
Postpartum depression linked to babies’ deaths—albeit by natural causes
Researchers made the finding after analyzing almost 415,000 infant mortalities that occurred well before Lindsay Clancy strangled her 8-month-old baby and two young children in 2023, forcing a spotlight on postpartum mental-illness risk.
Study finds young women more likely than men to get health and wellness information from influencers
A recent Pew Research Center study found that young women are more likely than young men to get health and wellness information from social media influencers, with 57% of women ages 18 to 29 reporting they receive such information from influencers, compared with 47% of men in the same age group.
Pablo Torre Sounds Off on the Clippers Ruling, Kawhi Leonard and ESPN — and Teases His Next Big Story
“Pablo Torre Finds Out” host on the NBA’s historic ruling against the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard’s slap on the wrist and ESPN undermining his reporting.
Dark matter detector finds a strange signal scientists can’t yet explain
The LUX-ZEPLIN experiment has detected a rare particle interaction that looks unusually difficult to explain as ordinary background noise and appeared where dark matter might be expected. Scientists are not claiming a discovery yet, but additional data could show whether this single mysterious event is the first hint of a long-sought dark matter particle.
Procrastination study by Duke’s Dan Ariely retracted after sleuths find signs of data tampering
A psychology journal has retracted a seminal 2002 paper on deadlines and procrastination coauthored by behavioral scientist Dan Ariely of Duke University just days after a team of sleuths published…
Psilocybin may protect against a common, debilitating side effect of chemotherapy, early study finds
A psychedelic best known for its effects on the brain may also protect peripheral nerves from chemotherapy damage, early research suggests.
New Report Finds Women Who Played Sports as Girls Are More Likely to Become Workplace Leaders
New research from e.l.f. Beauty and Parity, unveiled at the 2026 Power of Women’s Sports Summit, finds the lessons girls learn on the field can follow them into the workplace — and all the way to the C-suite
Closing a 200-year-old institution will wound both the city and science
The oldest museum of its kind in the nation, it has inspired generations of science enthusiasts. Drexel must find a way to preserve it, writes a Philadelphia-area science journalist.
This Husband-and-Wife Duo Started a Business They Couldn't Find in Their Hometown. 6 Months in, It Did $1 Million in Sales.
Ken and Sarah Barlow set out to open the doors to “something joyful” and “community-centered.”
AI agents not ready to replace humans in behavioral research
A new study finds that digital twins don’t yet replicate the views of the individuals they are modeled after.
Mike Vrabel dodges question about findings in Dianna Russini investigation
Mike Vrabel had no interest in dicussing The Athletic's findings in its investigation into Dianna Russini.
Rich people more likely to steal children’s sweets, finds Ig Nobel prize-winning study
We round up the winners at awards for achievements that ‘first make people laugh and then make them think’
Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel Investigation Details: The Athletic Reveals Findings Following Scandal
On Thursday, The Athletic released its findings from an internal investigation into Russini's reporting and relationship with Vrabel.
The hidden reference in Nvidia and Hugging Face's deal price
"Special congrats if you find the Hugging Face and Nvidia references hidden in our $12,930,300,000 acquisition price," cofounder Thomas Wolf wrote.
Scientists Find More Than 1,000 DNA Variants Linked to Personality Traits
More than one million genomes helped identify DNA variants linked to extroversion, agreeableness, neuroticism and more. Researchers measured how those traits influenced how people lived.
HiFi sequencing sets the benchmark for environmental health metabarcoding
A new benchmarking study comparing PacBio, Illumina, and Oxford Nanopore finds that HiFi sequencing delivers the lowest error rate and highest taxa recovery for environmental metabarcoding. Here's what the results mean for biodiversity and environmental health research.
Scientists just overturned a century-old physics assumption
Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University have discovered an unexpected form of the Hall effect, overturning the long-held assumption that this electrical response only appears when a magnetic field points perpendicular to a material. Beyond expanding a century-old principle of physics, the finding could eventually lead to simpler magnetic sensors for electronics, transportation, and medical technologies.
This Week in Sports Trivia: Sept. 3, 2026
How closely were you following the sports news this week? Find out and test your knowledge by taking The Athletic's weekly quiz.
Scientists Find Parasites in Almost Every Fish From a Recent Tuna Haul
Some were in the muscle, too.
Swiping MAGA right or liberal left dealbreakers in today's dating world
Smoking? Kids? Finances? Political alignment is now at the forefront for those looking for romance in today's world of dating and finding a partner.
Why portion control matters
Experts say portion control doesn't mean tossing out the foods you love, but finding what the appropriate amount is that leaves you satisfied.
Winners and losers from NBA finding, penalties on Clippers, Kawhi Leonard investigation
Sony and Microsoft say they’re not obligated to pass U.S. tariff refunds to consumers, echoing Nintendo
Back in July, Sony executives told investors that the company expected to receive $508 million in refunds from the U.S. government, after tariffs that the PlayStation-maker paid were ruled mostly in 2025 were found to be illegal. “Most” of the refund would by recouped by Sony’s gaming division, its chief financial officer said. This week, Sony’s lawyers are arguing that the company is not legally obligated to pass those proceeds on to consumers who paid for recently price-hiked PlayStation consoles. That’s in the face of a lawsuit from gamers calling on them to do exactly that. “Paying fair market price for voluntarily purchased consumer goods is not a legally cognizable injury in fact,” the lawyers wrote in a legal motion filed on Monday, as they asked a judge in California’s Northern District to dismiss a potential class action lawsuit over the tariff refunds. Microsoft made a similar argument two weeks ahead of Sony’s lawyers, in a similar lawsuit brought by a gamer in federal court in Washington State. As Microsoft’s legal team put it on August 21, in their request for a dismissal of that lawsuit: “There is nothing unjust about Plaintiff purchasing an Xbox at an advertised price and getting exactly what he paid for—regardless of whatever theory he devised months later about Microsoft’s cost structure.” Both legal fights are set to go on for some time. How things got to this point U.S. tariffs impacting a wide range of imported goods, including game consoles, had kicked off in early 2025. In May 2025, Microsoft raised the price of its Xbox consoles, citing “market conditions and the rising cost of development.” They raised them again that September. In August of that year, Sony raised the price of PlayStation 5 consoles, citing “a challenging economic environment.” Sony later told investors that its tariff fees for the fall quarter were nearly $200 million. in February of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the 2025 tariffs illegal, prompting impacted companies to begin to request refunds. In turn, consumers began suing the likes of Sony and Microsoft to get what they said was their share. The gamers in the Microsoft and Sony lawsuits argue that the 2025 price hikes of PlayStation and Xbox consoles, which added $50 or more to their sticker price, were due to illegal tariffs and should now be returned to consumers. The Sony suit started in May, when a group of gamers sued in federal court in California, saying Sony Interactive Entertainment (PlayStation) would be unjustly enriching itself if it did not pass tariff refunds to its PS5 buyers. “Sony is poised to be paid twice for the same unlawful tariff burden: once by its customers (through elevated prices) and once by the U.S. government (through tariff refunds),” the gamers’ lawyers wrote at the time. They called for Sony to partially reimburse anyone who bought a PlayStation in the U.S. since August 1, 2025. The Microsoft suit, filed by gamer Trevor Hastings against the Xbox giant in July, made similar claims. The console makers push back In late July, Nintendo’s lawyers, facing a similar suit accusing them of double-dipping on tariffs and refunds, replied with arguments that previewed Microsoft’s and Sony’s: “Nintendo or one of its retailers set a price for each product, and consumers decided whether that price was worth paying,” they wrote. Sony has buttressed that Nintendo-style argument this week by saying that the gamers have failed to prove that tariffs were the reason for its August 2025 PS5 price hike. They call thatclaim “speculative and illogical.” Other factors, including “inflation, currency fluctuations, component costs, logistics, competitive dynamics, or demand,” could have played a role. (No, the Sony lawyers do not break down the costs and factors that officially triggered the price increases). Microsoft has also argued that there’s no proof in these lawsuits that tariffs drove all or some of the price increase, as it seeks to dismiss the tariff refund suit it’s facing: “Plaintiff provides no specific allegations that would establish any pricing differential attributable to tariffs or suggest any possibility that Microsoft applied then or could recreate now any dollar-for-dollar calculation of tariff-related pricing—any more than it could any other market factor that affects pricing.” To further skewer the gamer side’s argument in its case, Sony’s lawyers have pointed to what might be a surprising defense: yet another PlayStation 5 price hike from this past spring, after the tariffs were ruled illegal. “If the original price increase were attributable to tariffs, SIE [Sony Interactive Entertainment, aka PlayStation] would have had no reason to raise prices again after the Supreme Court invalidated the IEEPA tariffs.” … “If tariffs were the cause of the price increases, one would expect SIE to lower prices once the tariffs were eliminated—not raise them again. Instead, the timeline confirms that the pricing of PlayStation consoles includes a diverse and dynamic set of input costs.” Judges have not yet ruled on the arguments made by Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo. Last week, Panic, the company behind the small, yellow Playdate handheld said it would be passing its tariff refunds on to consumers. It is the only gaming hardware maker to have made such a pledge. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my reporting, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: A reporter’s second Second Life Wagner James Au, who from 2003-2006 was paid by San Francisco-based tech company Linden Lab to be a full-time journalist embedded in their virtual world Second Life, is returning to the company. This time, he’ll be an editorial advisor and business development specialist, he tells Game File. The new role will involve trying to share the stories of people inhabiting Second Life’s ongoing online world with reporters and by extension the public. Au plans to continue to also chronicle some of that through his long-running blog New World Notes. I’ve known Au since the mid-2000s and featured him in a 2007 article for the Columbia Journalism Review about reporters like him opening up virtual news outlets within Second Life. As I wrote at the time: On April 22, 2003, writing as Hamlet Linden for the New World Notes blog on Second Life’s Web site, Au introduced himself. “For the next few months, Linden Lab has invited me to set aside my journalist cap, and instead, don the digital beanie of their in-house virtual correspondent.” He wasn’t paid to keep it positive. He wrote about builders and eccentrics, but then in August of that year, he reported on a tax revolt against Linden Lab (a complaint about the fees it charges users who build stuff) led by a resident whose avatar was a big cat. Second Life has always been less of a video game and more of a virtual world where people can live, hang out, make art, sell virtual items and flirt. Back in 2007, Au described touring it as “sort of like underwater lucid dreaming.” For the past two decades, Au has maintained New World Notes as an independent publication. But he said he’s been drawn back to Second Life and Linden Lab as a place to directly work. The virtual world has around 650,000 monthly active users, he said, “which is actually about what it was during the hype wave.” Au says he’s still finding rich stories in Second Life, the kind that keep him interested 20 years into the beat: “Over the last few months for instance, I wrote about an SL creator in Venezuela whose apartment was destroyed by the earthquakes, so the global SL community rallied to get him back on his feet,” he told me. “Then there’s the woman from a Middle Eastern country who explored her lesbian sexuality in SL, then earned enough from her virtual jewelry to escape her abusive family situation and country.” Au wants to beckon more reporters to give Second Life another look. He argues that it is often ahead of internet trends, noting, for example, an early backlash in the community against AI-made art. Now the platform is drawing curiosity from more of the user-generated content community who’ve grown up with the likes of Roblox, according to Au. “Second Life was too early during its hype wave in 2005-2010, but it now feels right for a new wave of interest,” he told me.
Should the Houston Rockets Trade Kevin Durant to... the Celtics?
The Houston Rockets could find a potential trade partner in the Boston Celtics for a blockbuster Kevin Durant deal.
In the Midterms, Will the Nepo-Baby Attack Work?
A New Hampshire senator’s daughter is running for office, and finds her name being used against her.
Moment of Science: New study finds humans and animals share certain sound preferences
Answering the call of the wild! Here's how our sound preferences stack up against other animals, from birdsong to baboon barks. 🐦🔊
How These Founder Communities Offer Support
Finding the right networks can help business leaders beat isolation and gain a competitive edge.
Moment of Science: New study finds humans and animals share certain sound preferences
Answering the call of the wild! Here's how our sound preferences stack up against other animals, from birdsong to baboon barks. 🐦🔊
NBA hammers Clippers, Steve Ballmer for salary cap circumvention as Kawhi Leonard avoids suspension
The NBA released the findings of its nearly year-long investigation into salary cap circumvention allegations on Wednesday
Sutter Investment Helps API Families Access Health Services
Chronic conditions such as hepatitis B, diabetes and hypertension continue to affect many Chinese, Asian and Pacific Islander communities across San Francisco. Yet language, cultural and financial barriers can make it harder for people to access preventive care, find available resources and stay on top of their health. APA Family Support Services (APAFSS) is working […]
New UK taskforce will examine influence of political mega-donors
Government pledges to find quick ‘solution’ to party funding row under pressure from Labour MPs
What two critical access hospitals learned about EHR optimization after go-live
Healthcare organizations commit significant resources to EHR implementation, then find they cannot sustain improvement once the project team disbands. The
Trump Administration Launches Blitz to Find Elusive Voter Fraud Ahead of Midterms
The practice is exceedingly rare, but President Trump has fixated on rooting it out this year, claiming without evidence that tens of thousands of noncitizens are registered to vote.
Scientists find a huge 10-sided wave pattern swirling in the clouds over Saturn’s south pole
A single side of the decagon surpasses 10,000 miles.
BSU sports has a growing budget deficit. Leaders look to 'gold mine' in the parking lot
Last month, Boise State Director of Athletics Jeramiah Dickey appeared on KTIK radio and answered questions about the issues of the day. At one point, host Mike Prater asked Dickey if he’d be at the first-ever game the school would play as a full member of the Pac-12 the following day. “Well, we have the […]
Scientists find 10-sided wave pattern swirling in the clouds over Saturn's south pole
Scientists have discovered an enormous 10-sided wave pattern in the icy ammonia clouds over Saturn's south pole
Scientists find a churning decagon over Saturn's south pole
Scientists have discovered an enormous 10-sided wave pattern in the icy ammonia clouds over Saturn's south pole.
Bold prediction for 2026 Colts revolves around WR Josh Downs
Dan Graziano's bold prediction for the 2026 Indianapolis Colts centers around WR Josh Downs.
Neuropsychologist finds gaps between treatment and science of ALS, dementia in her own family
For A. Campbell Sullivan, PsyD, this time it's personal. As a neuropsychologist and clinical associate professor of neurology at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases ...
Auburn vs. Baylor Preview And Prediction
There might not be another player I’m more interested to watch this weekend than DJ Lagway . We already know about the talent. Now we find out whether a fresh start can finally unlock it. Lagway transferred to Baylor after throwing for 4,179 yards and 28 touchdowns during two seasons at Florida , and he’s…
Judge rules Google does not have to break up ad tech business
A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Google does not have to break up its advertising technology business after finding last year that the search giant held an illegal monopoly over the industry. U…
‘Balancing act’ helps keep colorectal cancer in check
Study finds that a balance of two closely related cell surface proteins may be critical to the health of the epithelial lining of the gastrointestinal tract.
UT Health San Antonio neuropsychologist finds gaps between treatment and science of ALS, dementia in her own family
As a neuropsychologist and clinical associate professor of neurology at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio, A. Campbell Sullivan, PsyD, is on the front lines daily of groundbreaking research and patient care in frontotemporal dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Millions get wrong genetic test, study finds
A study shows current testing is providing false reassurance about genetic disposition for a rare life-threatening drug reaction.
In Good Health: Finding a primary care physician, part 2
We put your questions about health care to a team of medical professionals, again.
Capybaras, camels, cows: Great Allentown Fair featuring cuddly creatures, highlights agriculture
We're getting a sneak peak at some of the cuddly creatures you may find at the fair.
UT Health San Antonio neuropsychologist finds gaps between treatment and science of ALS, dementia in her own family
Her journal article urges more support for those facing inherited neurodegenerative diseases Contact for media: Steven Lee, (210) 450-3823, lees22@uthscsa.edu SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 2, 2026 – For A. Campbell Sullivan, PsyD, this time it’s personal. As a neuropsychologist and clinical associate professor of neurology at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health […]
UT Health San Antonio neuropsychologist finds gaps between treatment and science of ALS, dementia in her own family
Her journal article urges more support for those facing inherited neurodegenerative diseases Contact for media: Steven Lee, (210) 450-3823, lees22@uthscsa.edu SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 2, 2026 – For A. Campbell Sullivan, PsyD, this time it’s personal. As a neuropsychologist and clinical associate professor of neurology at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health […]
What Happens When AI Starts Doing Business with AI?
As AI agents increasingly interact with one another on commercial platforms, firms need new rules governing what those agents can see, decide, and do. In a controlled AI-to-AI simulation covering 160 governance runs and 2,560 observations, researchers tested four governance mechanisms: information disclosure, agent autonomy, reputation signals, and structured interaction protocols. Rich, machine-readable information helped agents identify promising counterparties, while greater autonomy improved their ability to move opportunities toward commitment. Reputation signals helped agents determine which opportunities deserved attention. Rigid interaction protocols, however, reduced engagement and exchange progression. The findings suggest that firms should establish clear levels of agent authority, run bounded experiments, provide structured information and reputation signals, and design explicit handoffs from agents to human decision-makers.
Tyfone acquires lendtech Attune for Loanovia business
nFinia developer Tyfon acquires digital account opening and loan origination specialist Attune - find out more about the Loanovia integration here.
New FDNY report shines light on 9/11's long-term health effects
The FDNY laid out the findings of the new health report on 9/11's long-term effects on firefighters.
AI dominates the 4th International Congress of Basic Science in Beijing
Subir Sarkar finds that AI was a hot topic among the over 800 delegates
We've spent billions searching for dark matter and still haven't found it. Why are scientists obsessed with finding something they can't see? | BBC Sky at Night Magazine
If dark matter is invisible and can't be detected, why are scientists spending so much time and money searching for it?
Employer Health Costs Are Expected to Spike in 2027
A new U.S. survey anticipates an average increase of 11 percent unless benefits are cut, the highest rate in decades. Other findings also predict a sharp rise.
Employer Health Costs Are Expected to Spike in 2027
A new U.S. survey anticipates an average increase of 11 percent unless benefits are cut, the highest rate in decades. Other findings also predict a sharp rise.
Former Patriots find new homes after NFL roster cuts
The Patriots trimmed their roster from 91 to 53 players over the weekend.
New dinosaurs are popping up in Africa. Scientists think it could be just the ‘tip of the iceberg’
The discovery of new species of dinosaurs along the shores of Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba has scientists excited about future finds in Africa.
2026 preseason recap: Former Huskers to find their place in the NFL
These three former Husker athletes competed in the NFL preseason to prove they had what it takes and secure their spot on an NFL team. One of the most recent, Emmett Johnson, was the fifth-round pick for the Kansas City Chiefs. Other players such as Ty Robinson and Ameer Abdullah made teh NFL in previous years.
Will Burnham find PMQs as 'nail biting' and 'nerve wracking' as Blair did?
Curiously, the questions at lunchtime may well feel like a minor extension of what he faced on Tuesday, the BBC's political editor writes.
Former Commanders cornerback lands with Cleveland Browns
A former Washington defender finds a new home in the AFC.
Two Years In, Texas Business Court Finds Successes, Growing Pains
In a series this week, The Texas Lawbook dives into the Texas Business Courts’ first two years of operation and what changes may come during the next legislative session.
A search for one exotic particle uncovered two strange new structures
A search for one mysterious particle unexpectedly revealed evidence for two different structures that may belong to the bizarre family of exotic subatomic particles known as XYZ states. The findings could help physicists uncover new ways that quarks and gluons combine to create matter.
Toward an integrated and globally equitable understanding of political polarization
Nature Communications - Nearly half of all polarization research focuses on the United States, yet many American findings are global outliers. A globally equitable understanding requires bridging...
Too much coffee may weaken bones, study finds
Following nearly 10,000 older women for 10 years, researchers found that tea drinking was associated with slightly higher hip bone density. Moderate coffee consumption did not appear harmful, but drinking more than five cups a day was linked to lower bone density. The findings suggest tea may offer a small bone-health boost, while excessive coffee could carry some drawbacks.
All kinds of entertainment on the midway at the Champlain Valley Fair
From art to music to games, rides and more, you can find it all this year at the Champlain Valley Fair. Our Tia Trudgeon has a few of the highlights.
What Box Office Bomb Crushed Obsession on Streaming?
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Before we get into this week’s issue, let me ask you for some suggestions. At the risk of coining too many names for too many things (hence my dictionary of terms...), I need a name for straight-to-streaming films that are too expensive to justify a straight-to-streaming release, but not big enough to justify a theatrical release. Like some of the films I highlighted in last week’s tally of the biggest film flops of 2026 so far: Hulu’s Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, Pizza Movie or Never Change! They don’t feel like “made for TV movies” (think Hallmark and Lifetime movies, cheap Netflix romcoms, or Disney Channel Original movies, for example) but they don’t feel big enough for the big screen. They’re not “cinematic” enough, so to speak. As I wrote... “I still need a name for this middle zone of film that’s too expensive to go straight-to-streaming but too small to justify a theatrical release (with all the PR, distribution, marketing and whatnot costs that go along with it), the Goldilocks zone of streaming film death.” Friend of the newsletter Brandon Katz has suggested the “Bermuda Budget Triangle”, “The Platform Gap” and “The Distribution Deadzone”. I love that first one. I’d offer up the much wordier “The Streaming Budget Dead Zone” or “the Goldilocks Zone of streaming film death” but that last one isn’t accurate since, unlike Goldilocks’ porridge, these films are the opposite of “just right”. That’s the problem! Anyway, if you have any suggestions, let me know! On to today’s Streaming Ratings Report. As you can tell by today’s headline, things are going to be spicy! I’m looking at a box office bomb that did really, really well on streaming, somewhat challenging a few different narratives. And another Netflix series declined in its second season. All that, plus Wicked: For Good switching streamers, The Hawk continuing its strong run, _The Bear’_s finale season finally dropping off the charts, the WNBA posting a big viewership number, “shallow libraries”, a sitcom spinoff failing to launch, more big budget IP flopping on Paramount+, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of July 20th to July 26th, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - The Latest Theatrical Success Story on Streaming In the latest edition of “Flops, Bombs and Misses of the First Half of 2026”, I made a crucial change: I started including theatrical films with the streaming misses. The streamers have collectively—including Netflix, but not to as big of an extent—stopped making a lot of straight-to-streaming films, and the ones they do make aren’t as expensive as in the heyday of the streaming bubble. After the following two films bombed in theaters, you’d guess that they’ll be included in my next collection of flops, bombs and misses six months from now: Masters of the Universe on Prime Video (only $64 million domestic box office) Mortal Kombat II on HBO Max ($79 million domestic) But you’d be wrong! Masters of the Universe, a reboot of the He-Man franchise, a toy from the 1980s, came to streaming on 22-July and did great! This long-gestating project—it’s been at every studio for years, and came close to getting a greenlight at Netflix—then finally came to theaters in June, and showed up on streaming less than two months later. (I don’t love this short theatrical window.) It surprisingly grabbed nearly 20 million hours on its debut: That means, wait for it, Masters of the Universe is currently the eighth biggest film on streaming through two weeks. My rough bar for “hit” is shows or films in the top 15%. Ergo…Masters of the Universe is a legit, streaming hit! (One quick caveat: if it falls out of the top ten next week, it will move to 13th overall, just on the edge of the top 15.) Of course, that’s the data for just 2026. Here’s how it stacks up to Prime Video’s theatrical films: That drop into its second week is typical for Amazon films, but also a worrying sign. I have a feeling interest in this film is front-loaded and we’ll see it drop off after this. As for Mortal Kombat II, in this case, the viewership numbers roughly match the theatrical outing, with only 4.1 million hours in its first week. Here’s how it stacks up to other HBO Max films: The best defense of this number is that, as a relatively violent rated-R film, Mortal Kombat II never had a good chance at breaking out. So now it’s time for a little big of “Entertainment Nuance Guy”: First, yeah, my headline is obviously facetious, since Masters of the Universe besting Obsession says more about horror as a genre than it does that film. Second, I read and listened to quite a few “nobody wanted this IP” takes about Masters of the Universe, and that’s not really true. At least enough people wanted it to power a 20 million+ hour debut! Third, both this film and Mortal Kombat II were considered “average” by viewers, but not great films, with a 6.4 and 6.3 respectively on IMDb. That’s just shy of the level needed to be a word-of-mouth hit. Fourth, in the olden days, strong word of mouth could transform a box office miss into a cable/DVD hit, like Austin Powers or The Shawshank Redemption. We haven’t seen a lot of examples of that on streaming, though. And there are far fewer ways to monetize the post-theatrical life of a film these days. Fifth, Prime Video has shown an ability to push their own titles well, likely because they control the Amazon Fire TV ecosystem. Add it all up, and here’s my nuanced take on Masters of the Universe: it was a box office bomb, but, shockingly, a streaming hit. Unfortunately, while being a theatrical hit saves your film financially, being a streaming hit does not. Both Masters of the Universe and Mortal Kombat II had big budgets and needed to make more money in theaters to justify them. So…Straight-to-Streaming or Theaters? We’ve hit a really fun point in the streaming calendar, since the films that came out in theaters in April, May, and June are now arriving on streaming. So the “Do theatrical releases help streaming performances?” question is gonna get a fresh round of updates nearly every week. No single week will answer the question, but we may get some insights. For example, so far in 2026, it looks like theatrical films are lasting longer on the weekly Nielsen film charts. Here’s a list of films that have made the charts in their fourth or fifth week of release, separated by “for kids” and “general entertainment”: It certainly seems like theatrical films are lasting just a pinch longer on the charts, with Project Hail Mary being the current five-week champion. One Battle After Another did well for HBO Max too, and even The Sheep Detectives made it four weeks. The only exception to this trend? Obsession, which only lasted two weeks on the charts. You might tempted to overreact to this news. Don’t. Obsession is a huge horror hit, but horror just doesn’t do as well on streaming. By the way, here’s the Google Trends for various theatrical and stremaing films: Plus, when it comes to Netflix in four months, Obsession may have another big boost. Quick Notes on Film Note that when I write, “the streamers have pulled back on straight-to-streaming films” that doesn’t mean “abandoned” because Netflix is gonna Netflix. On 24-July, they released 72 Hours, a Kevin Hart comedy. Along with Eddie Murphy, Mark Wahlberg, John Cena and Adam Sandler, Kevin Hart is a streaming film star now. Did this latest one work? Not really. It only garnered two weeks of 13.2 and 12.2 million hours on its debut, well below the 20-million-hour hit threshold. It also was poorly received critically—a 44 on Metacritic—and by customers—a 5.4 on IMDb on 21K IMDb reviews. We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… The latest Netflix true crime doc to pop on the charts… How The Bear finished its run… Netflix’s latest Western to return to streaming… What Paramount+ animated film flopped… And what sitcom also missed… All the flops, bombs and misses… And a whole lot more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! I’m behind by a week, so we’ve got two issues coming your way this week, including one in a couple of days or so, then we’ll be all caught up**.** Next issue, inspired by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie coming to Peacock, I’m going to take a look at the workhouse of streaming TV: kids films. Plus The Devil Wears Prada 2 continues theatrical films’ big run on streaming. All that, plus another surprise hit on Hulu, Lioness on CBS, and a whole lot more. Long term, LeBron James is filming his own “Last Dance”-style docu-series, surprising no one. But as I’ve been writing about a lot this summer, this genre is really overrated, so whoever ends up buying it (reportedly ESPN) really shouldn’t pay too much for it.
The Best Deals From Best Buy's Early Labor Day Sale 2026
Best Buy's Labor Day Sale has started early and runs through midnight on September 7. You can find deals on Bose headphones, Samsung TVs, gaming monitors, laptops, tablets, streaming devices, and more.
On Trump’s Ballroom, Chief Justice Finds Himself in an Unusual Spot: In Dissent
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has been in the majority in divided cases more times than any other chief since 1953. But not this time.
Anthropic doubles a science benchmark score with Fable 5.1 while OpenAI says its Astra model crosses critical cyber threshold
Anthropic’s Fable 5.1 doubles a science benchmark score, while OpenAI says Astra reaches critical cyber capability and finds zero-day flaws.
Jared Freid finds his comedy calling in new Netflix hour 'The Family Plan'
Jared Freid’s new Netflix hour, “The Family Plan,” turns a beach blowup with his dad into a sharply observed, big-hearted look at boomer-millennial family warfare and reconciliation.
Latest Android Drop connects Gemini to Find Hub, adds Keep Notes and themes to Messages
New features are rolling out across the Android ecosystem starting today.